Journal box lubricator



Sept. 20, 1955 c. sPRoUsE 2,718,438

JOURNAL BOX LUBRICATOR Filed March 19, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l (S7/7700 S/a//oagfe Sept 20, 1955 c. sPRoUSE JOURNAL Box LUBRICATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 19, 1955 ATTJ/ United States Patent O n JOURNAL BOX LUBRICATOR Clifton Sprouse, Abbeville, S. C.

Application March 19, 1953, Serial No. 343,391

1 Claim. (Cl. 308-86) This invention relates to a journal box lubricator and it is an object of the invention to provide a device of this kind that can be readily positioned in or removed from the conventional journal box.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind including means for holding the device against undesirable displacement within a box and thereby assuring maximum eiciency.

A'still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind which permits the use of a lubricating oil with the elimination of the use of dope packing.

- An additional object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind including a well member for containing a supply of lubricating oil, said well member being adapted to be placed within a journal box below the journal together with means for suspending the well in such position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind including a well for suspension within .a journal box belowV the journal together with an applicator pad within the well for contact with the journal to transfer the lubricating oil to the journal.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and' arrangement of the several parts of my proved journal box lubricator whereby certain advantages are attained, as will be hereinafter more vf ullyfset forth.

In order that my invention may be better understood,

I. will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: j

' Figure l is afragmentary vertical sectional view taken lengthwise through a journal box and an applied lubricator, the associated journal being in elevation;

".Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure l, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure l, looking in the direction of the arrows;

' Figure 4 is a detailsectional view substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure l, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5- is a view in front elevation of the well as herein comprised;

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the applicator unit herein comprised and unapplied; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view in perspective from therear of the suspending frame for the well as herein comprised.

In the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, B denotes a journal box having the usual opening 1 in its rear wall for the passage of the journal A and having the regular opening 3 in the top portion of its front wall 5 and which opening is normally closed by a ap lid 5.

Insertable into the box B through the front opening 3 of the box B is a suspending or supporting frame F for the well member W. This frame F as herein embodied 2,718,438 rPatented Sept. 20, 1955 comprises two parallel spaced at members 6 maintained in required spaced relation by a central flat member 7 rigid with the members 6. The member 7 is continued by a rearwardly disposed at extension member 8 terminating in an upstanding lip 9. The extremities of the members 6 are continued by the upstanding at posts or columns 10 of a length to extend above the journal A. The members 6, 7 and 8 have close contact with the floor or bottom wall 11 of the box B and the members 6 are of lengths to bring the posts or columns 9 in closey contact with the side walls of the box B.

The applied frame F is positioned in the forward .portion of the box B and is maintained against rearward movement within the box by contact of the extension member 8 and its lip 9 with the rear wall 14 of the box. Forward movement of the applied frame F within the box B is prevented by contact of the rear posts or columns 10 with the usual holding lugs 15 carried by the side walls 12 of the box B, The length of the extension member S is such to maintain the contacts of the rear posts or columns 10 with the lugs 15.

The upper ends of the posts or columns 10 are provided with the inwardly disposed lugs 16 from which are suspended the retractile vhangers 17 herein disclosed as coiled springs. The lower free extremities of the hangers 17 engage the outwardly disposed and downwardly facing hook members 18 carried by the upper corner portions of the well member W.

The well member W is also readily insertible withinpthe box B and is substantially semi-circular in cross section and on a sufficient radius to provide a material space 19 between the peripheral wall 20 of the Well member and the journal A when the well member A is in applied position within the box B. The well member W is suspended in place by the retractile hangers 17. These hangers maintain the well member W at all times above and free 0f contact with the bottom wall 11 of the box B and constantly urge the well member W upwardly toward the journal A to maintain an eiective contact with the journal A the lubricant applicator unit C positioned within the well member W.

The top or open face of the well member is a width closely approaching the interior width of the box B there being sucient spacing at each side of the well memberto accommodate the hangers 17 and hook members 18 to allow for movement of the well member incident to the action of the journal A when the rolling stock is in transit.

The well member W is of a length to extend from the usual annular shoulder 21 at the inner end of the journal vA to a point slightly in advance of the outer end of the journal. The rear end of the well member is provided with a back wall 22 having a central recess 23 semicircular from and of substantially the same radius as that of the journal A. The lower half portion of the rear lextremity of the journal A is received within this recess 23 and carried by the edge portion of the recess 23 and extending fromv end to end thereof is gasket 24 of preferred material which has direct contact with the shoulder 21 of the journal A to provide means to prevent escape of the oil from within the well member W.

The applicator unit C as herein disclosed comprises a basket 25 of sheet metal or other suitable material and is of a length to extend along a major length of the journal A.- This basket 25 from end to end is arcuate in cross section with its inbow face disposed toward the journal A when the unit C is in working position. The central portion of the basket 25 carries the underlying bow springs 26, the extremities of which rest upon the wall 20 of the well member W whereby the unit C is maintained spaced from the wall 20 so that the supply of lubricating oil within the well member may readily pass thereunder. The central portion of the basket 25 is provided with a relative- 3 ly large opening 27 to allow oil below the basket 25 to be absorbed by the pad 28 fully overlying and xedly held to the upper or inbow surface of the basket 25.

The pad 28 may be of any material suited for the purpo'se but initially having a xed formation. The pad 28 has direct contact from below the journal A and is of a thickness to place the bow springs, or legs as they may be termed, under tension when the unit C is in operative position to further assure the maintenance of the pad 2S in effective contact with the journal A.

The forward end of the well member W is closed by a. front wall 29 having an opening 30 in its central part. Carried by the outer face of the wall 29 and disposed 'covering the opening 30 is a lling vent 31 open at its top.

The peripheral wallV of the well member W spaced from but in close proximity to the 'front wall '29 is provided transversely thereof with an upstanding wall 32 providing an .arcuate recess 33 closely conforming to the periphery of 'thejourna'l A immediately to the rear of the usual surrounding ange 34 at the outer extremity of the journal A and which 'flange 34 extends down into the space 35 4between 'the wall 32 and the front wall 29. 'This space 35 may be termed a supplemental oil receiving well or chamber and the bottom portion of this wall 32 is provided with the `openings 36 to allow the oil receiver within the supplemental well 35 to owinto the main portion of the well member or vice Versa. When the well member W is in working position within the box B, the vent 31 is closely adjacent to the front opening 3 of the box B thus allowing as required a new supply of lubricating oil to be poured into the well mem- Vber W and thereby eliminating the necessity of removing ihe well member. When the journal B is in rotation, the yiiange 34 travels lthrough the oil within the space or receiving well 35 and throws the same against the upper forward portions of the wall 20 of the well member W and against Ithe inwardly disposed peripheral wall 37 and the end extensions 38 thereof as comprised in the cap member D. The member D is mounted upon the forward end portion of 'the well member `W and serves to prevent the yoil being thrown out by the lflange 34 into the box B.

`The cap member D is substantially semicircular in form and of a radius substantially the same as the radius of the well member 'W. The outer vface of the cap member C. is closed by a solid plate or head 39. The straight edge o the plate or head 39 rests upon the upper straight edge o' the front wall 29 of the well member W and the end edges ofthe wall 37 and the lower edges of the .extensions 38 of the -cap member C rest upon the upper edges of the forward portions of the wall 11 of the well member W. Theextensions 38 are provided with .the depending .lugs 4v110 which, when the cap member C is applied, overlies and has close contact from without with the upper margnalportions of the wall 11 of the well .member W to hold the 4applied cap member D against lateral displacement.

The lower or straight edge portion of the wall 39 of the cap member D has secured to the outer .face thereof the ytransversely spaced spring latch arms 41 having the free extremities disposed beyond the straight edge of .the wall 39 to allow said extremities to be engaged within the keeper loops 42 carried by the outer face of the front wa'Il "29 of the cap .member D in close proximity to the upper straight edge of the wall.29. The spring latch arms 41 and ykeeper loops 42 coactato releasably hold the cap member D in applied position.

Carried by and extending along the inner faces of the 'upper end portions ofthe wall 18 of the well member W are the troughs 43 which extend from the front wall 29 to the rear wall 22 with the opposite ends of the troughs 43 closed. The troughs 43 are disposed rearwardly on inclines to assure ilow downwardly and rearwardly therealong of the oil collected within the troughs after striking the walls 18 and 38 and extension 39 after being thrown off from the ange 34 of the journal B. The outer side wall portion of each of the troughs 43 and lower or rear end portion thereof is reduced in height to provide a discharge 4 4 which delivers upon the pad 28 of unit C to further assure proper saturation of the pad 28 or effective lubrication of the journal A,

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a journal box lubricator constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated.

I claim:

In combination, a journal box including a vjournal lhaving a flanged end projecting therein and a lubricating structure for the journal end, said vstructure comprising a frame formed of a flat elongated member .resting on the bottom of the box in the longitudinal center of the same, spaced pairs of oppositely disposed portions extending laterally from said member adjacent its ends, other 4portions upturned from the outer ends of 'the first portions, apertured Vears inturned from the 'upper ends of said other portions, a cylindrical well concentrically encircling .said journal and having a front end wall and an annular flange inturned from its rear end to closely engage about "the journal end, a separable cap formed by an upper portion of said well, pairs of hook elements spacedly mounted on the outer opposite sides of the lower portion of the well, coil suspension springs depending from said ears and engaged with said hook elements, an arcuate wall rising from the bottom of the well immediately in rear of said journal ilange and forming with said front end wall a lubricant receiving compartment, a Afilling vent opening through the front end wall, said arcuate wall having openings in its 'lower edge establishing communication between said compartment and the interior of the well, an arcuate support for an absorbent pad underlying the journal and extending rearwardly from said arcuate wall, spaced bow springs underlying said support to maintain said pad in contact with the surface of the journal, and rearwardly and downwardly sloping troughs on the inner opposite sides of the lower portion of said well, said journal ange dipping into the lubricant contained in said compartment to throw the lubricant picked thereby against ,the peripheral wall of the well for its subsequent draining Ainto said troughs and discharge therefrom onto said pad.

References Cited -in the le of 'this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 648,065 Brown Apr. 24, 1900 .1,053,740 M'cReynolds Feb. 18, 1913 1,245,586 Hennessy Nov. 6, 1917 .1,325,599 Urbieta Dec. 23, .1919 1,707,662 Hennessy Apr. 2, 1929 42,143,954 McCormick Jan. .17, v1939 FOREIGN PATENTS 647,103 Germany June 29 k1937 

